“Some are born with magic, some acquire magic, and others have magic thrust upon them…”

The year is 1767. Young widow Laura Murdoch Stockbridge is to marry Joshua Collins, heir to the Collins fortune. Meanwhile, Joshua’s sister Abigail is in love with disreputable sailor Abraham Harkaway.

But the course of true love never did run smooth… especially when the witch Angélique Bouchard is around.

One of the highlights, for me, of 2016 so far was receiving Roy’s first draft of Episode One. The dialogue jumped off the page because it’s glorious. It opens with a woman arriving on the outskirts of town and, before you know it, she’s met a pirate and then we’re in a horse-drawn carriage as people travel to a big house for a wedding. It’s pure gothic romance and I love it.

‘Since joining Big Finish in 2015 and discovering the delights of Dark Shadows, I’ve become a little bit obsessed with Quentin Collins, and Panic sees him finally back home at Collinwood. In the aftermath of Bloodlust, the narrative deftly juggles some werewolfy family bonding and an impromptu cookery lesson to frame an unforgettable introduction to the formidable Lela Quick. It is hard to say much more about Panic without venturing into spoiler territory, but the casting of Susan Sullivan as Lela is inspired. She is every bit as awesome as you’d expect her to be, and the perfect foil to David Selby. (More please, Davy and Joe!)’

‘The story itself is unlike any other we’ve told before,” explains [Producer / Director] Scott Handcock. “There’s an intensity that comes with the Great War setting. You’ve a responsibility to reflect the sheer horror of what went on there, and the impact it had on the men who found themselves fighting in the trenches. It’s the kind of story Roy excels at: claustrophobic, introspective, exploring the concepts of faith and hope at a time when both seem lost…’

The story features the return of Captain James Anderson (as played by the brilliant Dan Brocklebank) alongside guest stars Samuel Barnett (who, incidentally has just been cast in a new TV adaptation of Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently novels) and Steven Cree. The character of James previously appeared in my very first script for Dorian Gray and for Big Finish – The Prime of Deacon Brodie. It was a genuine privilege to be asked to revisit James and to be able to expand on and illuminate his relationship with Dorian (Alexander Vlahos) – and the terrible circumstances under which they meet.

I had a chance to visit the recording for Angel – there are a couple of pictures from this fab day above. It’s going to be sad to leave the world of Mr Gray behind – I’m sure there are more stories to tell – but I can also understand Scott’s and Alex’s reasoning for bringing the series to a close. I’ve loved being on board – and I’m so glad that Scott brought me into the world of Big Finish. I think scriptwriting plays to my strengths as a writer, and it’s great to be working with passionate, clever people who really understand how stories work!